Revelation 1:8 - 12

April 27, 2020

It’s Monday again! The start of a new work week, at least it used to be for many people. If you are like me, you have probably settled into a routine. I wonder what it was like for John on an waterless rock called the island of Patmos.  

John begins with a description of himself, “I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus.” [Revelation 1:9 NLT] John identifies himself as a “brother.” The general feeling of a “brother” is someone who is family. The idea of being a “partner” comes from business. It’s someone who shares the work, the risk, and the reward. I think it’s interesting he chooses “partner” rather than the more common “fellowship.” The difference is, John is stating he shares (partner) with them rather than associates (fellowship) with them.

Notice the threefold repetition. Suffering, kingdom, and endurance are the three essential themes that run throughout the prophecies of the book of Revelation. Few volunteer for suffering but it is the Biblical path to patient endurance (the meaning of the Greek word often just translated “patience”). This kind of patient endurance is acquired through being deliberate about purpose, faith, and loyalty to Jesus in the face of opposition, harassment, and persecution. I think John is telling us it is God’s kingdom which is his motivation to build the bridge between suffering and patient endurance.

John describes the day and his activity when Jesus spoke to him, “I was in a Spirit-inspired trance on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice that sounded like a trumpet.” [Revelation 1:10 CEB] John identifies the fact that he was “in the Spirit.” This is what we would call a “trance.” Other prophets recorded multiple prophecies at different times. This vision was not given on multiple occasions but on one single occasion. In other words, it should be taken as a whole, single, and complete event. All the parts depend on one another. In the book of Revelation there will often be a picture of what is happening on earth (doom, despair, and confusion) contrasted with the view in heaven (joy, praise, and clarity).

In verse 10 John identifies the day as “the Lord’s day.” This is the only place in the New Testament where this expression is used. This was the first day of the week. Already within the first century, the church had shifted its worship from the Sabbath day (in Genesis this was the day of rest) to Sunday (in Genesis this was the day light was created; in the Gospels this was the day Jesus was resurrected and typically met with His people).

We are then introduced to the intended audience in verse 11, “It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” [Revelation 1:11 NLT] There is serious debate about who these churches are, or intend to represent. The simplest explanation is these churches are the historical churches of John’s day. Reading them closely, some have suggested they are time periods (‘ages”) in the churches’ existence. Problem is this requires an questionable acquisition and interpretation of history. They do seem to resemble churches found throughout history. As in, at any time all seven will co-exist. They have also been interpreted as characteristic of organizations and individuals. This is the fun part about prophecy. It is plausible, the churches are 1.) Historic, 2.) Church ages, 3.) Churches in general, AND 4.) Characteristic of organization and individuals.

So the big questions for today: Are we partners or associates with fellow believers? Without suffering (persecution, not self-made suffering) is there true patient endurance for God’s kingdom? From the perspective of heaven, what do our churches and lives look like? Finally, what would Jesus say to us as an age, church, or individual?